CEW Weapon System and Related Methods

ABSTRACT

Implementations of conductive energy weapons (CEWs) may include a shock generating circuit configured to couple to a power source, two electrodes operatively coupled to the shock generating circuit, and a safety circuit operatively coupled to the shock generating circuit. The shock generating circuit may be configured to generate a first pulse train and deliver the first pulse train to a target, and may be configured to generate at least a second pulse train and deliver the at least second pulse train to a target. The safety circuit may be configured to prevent the CEW from applying pulse trains to the target after a predetermined number of pulse trains. The first pulse train may include two or more pulses having waveforms substantially identical with each other, each of the waveforms of the two or more pulses having both a positive voltage segment and a negative voltage segment.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This document is a continuation of U.S. patent Ser. No. 16/996,583 toAbboud et al., entitled, “CEW Weapon System and Related Methods,” nowpending, filed Aug. 18, 2020, which application was a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/870,942 to Abboud et al., entitled,“CEW Weapon System and Related Methods,” filed Jan. 13, 2018, now U.S.Pat. No. 10,746,510, issued Aug. 18, 2020, the disclosures of each ofwhich are hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.

This document also claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.Provisional Patent Application 62/446,368, entitled “CEW Weapon Systemand Related Methods” to Abboud et al. which was filed on Jan. 14, 2017,the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated entirely herein byreference.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

Aspects of this document relate generally to conductive energy weapon(CEW) systems and related methods for interrupting the locomotion of atarget, such as a human or an animal. More specific implementationsinvolve CEW systems that utilize short-duration electrical pulses.

2. Background

Conventionally, CEW systems work by delivering repeated electricalsignals to the skin and subcutaneous tissues of a target. Short-durationelectrical discharges into the target are more effective in stimulatingnerves causing pain, incapacitation, and uncontrollable musclecontractions than they are in stimulating heart muscle tissue. In thisway CEW systems work to stop the movement of a target without disruptingthe target's heart pumping rhythm, which can be fatal.

SUMMARY

Implementations of conductive energy weapons (CEWs) may include a shockgenerating circuit configured to couple to a power source, a firstelectrode and a second electrode operatively coupled to the shockgenerating circuit, and a safety circuit operatively coupled to theshock generating circuit. The shock generating circuit may be configuredto generate a first pulse train and deliver the first pulse train to atarget using the first electrode and the second electrode, and may beconfigured to generate at least a second pulse train and deliver the atleast second pulse train to a target using the first electrode and thesecond electrode. The safety circuit may be configured to prevent theCEW from applying pulse trains to the target after a predeterminednumber of pulse trains beyond the at least second pulse train. The firstpulse train may include two or more pulses having waveformssubstantially identical with each other, each of the waveforms of thetwo or more pulses having both a positive voltage segment and a negativevoltage segment.

Implementations of CEWs may include one, all, or any of the following:

The positive voltage segment of each waveform may precede the negativevoltage segment of each waveform.

A portion of the pulse corresponding to the positive voltage segment ofthe waveform of the pulse may include more charge than a portion of thepulse corresponding to the negative voltage segment of the waveform ofthe pulse.

A portion of the pulse corresponding to the positive voltage segment ofthe waveform of the pulse may include substantially twice as much chargeas a portion of the pulse corresponding to the negative voltage segmentof the waveform of the pulse.

The positive voltage segment may correspond with an arc phase configuredto produce a plasma discharge between the first electrode and the targetand the second electrode and the target.

Each waveform may reach a peak amplitude in less than 10 microsecondsfrom the beginning of each waveform.

Each waveform may reach a peak amplitude in less than 5 microsecondsfrom the beginning of each waveform.

A duration of the positive voltage segment of each waveform may besubstantially less than a duration of the negative voltage segment ofeach waveform.

Implementations of conductive energy weapons (CEWs) may include a shockgenerating circuit configured to couple to a power source, a firstelectrode and a second electrode operatively coupled to the shockgenerating circuit, and a safety circuit operatively coupled to theshock generating circuit. The shock generating circuit may be configuredto generate a waveform of a first pulse applied to a target using thefirst electrode and the second electrode. The waveform may include apositive voltage segment followed by a negative voltage segment. Theshock generating circuit may be configured to generate a waveform of asecond pulse applied to a target using the first electrode and thesecond electrode and the waveform of the second pulse may besubstantially the same as the waveform of the first pulse. The safetycircuit may be configured to deactivate the CEW after 3 pulse trains,each pulse train including no more than 100 pulses.

Implementations of CEWs may include one, all, or any of the following:

The CEW may be a non-sinusoidal waveform weapon.

Each pulse may deliver substantially 60 microCoulombs of charge.

Each pulse may deliver a majority of its charge within the first 15microseconds of each pulse.

Each pulse may last substantially 100 microseconds.

The safety circuit may enforce a fixed-time pause between a time of athird pulse train and a time of a next pulse train that a user canapply.

The positive voltage segment of each waveform may precede the negativevoltage segment of each waveform.

Implementations of conductive energy weapons (CEWs) may include a shockgenerating circuit configured to couple to a power source, a firstelectrode and a second electrode operatively coupled to the shockgenerating circuit, and a safety circuit operatively coupled to theshock generating circuit. The shock generating circuit may be configuredto generate a plurality of pulses and apply the plurality of pulses to atarget using the first electrode and the second electrode. The safetycircuit may be configured to deactivate the CEW after a predeterminednumber of pulses. Implementations of CEWs may also include a targetheart rate detection circuit coupled with the shock generating circuit.The target heart rate detection circuit may be configured to detect atarget's heart rate either before or during the shock generating circuitapplying any pulses to the target using the first electrode and thesecond electrode. The target heart rate detection circuit and the shockgenerating circuit may be configured to electrically synchronize anapplication rate of the plurality of pulses with the target's heartrate.

Each pulse may include a positive voltage segment and a negative voltagesegment, wherein the positive voltage segment precedes the negativevoltage segment.

The safety circuit may enforce a fixed-time pause between a time of thepredetermined number of pulses and a time of a next pulse train that auser can apply.

The target heart rate detection circuit and the shock generating circuitmay be configured to electrically synchronize the application rate ofthe plurality of pulses with the target's heart rate through analgorithm that may be based on a statistical regression based oncollected heart rate data.

Each pulse may deliver a majority of its charge within the first 20% ofan entire duration of each pulse.

The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will beapparent to those artisans of ordinary skill in the art from theDESCRIPTION and DRAWINGS, and from the CLAIMS.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations will hereinafter be described in conjunction with theappended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and:

FIG. 1 is a chart illustrating the amplitude of a waveform of a singlepulse of a conventional CEW;

FIG. 2 is a chart illustrating the amplitude of a waveform of a singlepulse of a CEW;

FIG. 3 is a chart illustrating current versus time of a pulse of aconventional CEW;

FIG. 4 is a chart illustrating current versus time of a pulse of a CEW;

FIG. 5 is graph representing the negative current charge of a pulse of aconventional CEW;

FIG. 6 is a graph representing the positive current charge of a pulse ofa CEW;

FIG. 7 is a graph representing the positive current charge of a pulse ofa conventional CEW;

FIG. 8 is graph representing the negative current charge of a pulse of aCEW; and

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a CEW system.

DESCRIPTION

This disclosure, its aspects and implementations, are not limited to thespecific components, assembly procedures or method elements disclosedherein. Many additional components, assembly procedures and/or methodelements known in the art consistent with the intended conductive energyweapon (CEW) systems will become apparent for use with particularimplementations from this disclosure. Accordingly, for example, althoughparticular implementations are disclosed, such implementations andimplementing components may comprise any shape, size, style, type,model, version, measurement, concentration, material, quantity, methodelement, step, and/or the like as is known in the art for such CEWsystems, and implementing components and methods, consistent with theintended operation and methods.

In various implementations, referring to FIG. 9, CEW systems involve ashock generating circuit 2 connected to a power source 4. The powersource 4 may be a direct current (DC) power source, and in particularimplementations may be a battery. The shock generating circuit 2 is alsooperatively coupled to two spaced apart electrodes 6, 8. Many differentshock generating circuits have been devised that are capable ofgenerating various electrical signals that include one or more sets ofelectrical pulses that have a frequency (repetition rate), pulse energy,pulse charge, pulse voltage, average voltage, and current and makingthem available to the electrodes of the weapon. In some shock generatingcircuits, one or more transformers are included coupled to one or morecapacitors that operate in combination to increase the voltage of thesignal from the battery and create a pulsed electrical signal (such as afly-back transformer system). In other shock generating circuit systems,capacitors and diodes are arranged in a circuit (such as through aCockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier) to allow for amplification of thevoltage as desired without the use of a transformer while delivering apulsed electrical signal. The structure, as well as the method ofoperation, of various shock generating circuits used for CEW weaponimplementations disclosed herein (as well as other components of theCEW) may be the same as, or similar to the structure and method ofoperation of the implementations of shock generating circuits (and othercomponents of the CEW) disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,554,786 to Kramerentitled “Electronic Disabling Device Having a Non-Sinusoidal OutputWaveform,” issued Jun. 30, 2009, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated entirely herein by reference.

In various CEW weapon system implementations, the electrodes 6, 8 arephysical electrodes located on the surface of the weapon. In otherimplementations, the electrodes 6, 8 are internal electrodes coupledwith a CEW cartridge that contains two or more darts 10, 12 connectedvia wire to the electrodes. In other CEW systems, both the physicallyexposed electrodes and internal electrodes couplable with the CEWcartridge are included in the structure of the weapon.

During operation of the weapon on a remote target, for CEW weaponsemploying dart cartridges, the CEW weapon is designed to apply anelectrical signal to the cartridge, causing the darts 10, 12 to beexpelled from the cartridge under what may be the force of pressurizedgas (often N2) stored in the cartridge. The pressurized gas may bereleased through, by non-limiting example, a fusable link, explosion ofa squib or other pyrotechnic charge, or device that causes thepressurized gas to be released from a storage container in thecartridge. The darts 10, 12 then move in the direction of the target 14,trailing the wires which connect them to the internal electrodes of theCEW weapon. When the darts strike the target, barbs in the darts 10, 12couple the darts to the target's skin, clothing, or hair. If the dartsare spaced widely enough apart across the target, incapacitation of thetarget 14 is more likely as it increases the amount of the target thatwill be exposed to the electrical signal.

During operation of the weapon on a close range target, the CEW weaponapplies the electrical signal directly to the exposed electrodes on thesurface of the weapon which are placed directly on the skin and/orclothing of the target. In this way, the electrical signal from theshock generating circuit is applied directly to the target from theweapon without the use of darts. This is referred to at times as the CEWweapon operating in “dry stun” mode.

Beyond the pain experienced by the target as the electricity stimulatesthe nerves and tissue, CEWs influence the peripheral nervous system inways that cause temporary, involuntary, and uncoordinated skeletalmuscle contractions. Influenced by factors that include characteristicsof the target, the response of the target to the electrical signaldelivered by the CEW depends on the strength, duration, and the shape ofthe waveform of the electrical discharge, as well as the timing of theapplied electrical current in comparison to the natural electricalactivity occurring in the body. The ability of CEWs to stimulate sometissues (such as nerve cells) and not others (such as heart musclecells) is governed by the characteristics of the electrical signals.Nerve cells respond to electrical waveforms that are much shorter induration than those heart muscle cells respond to. It is known that theduration of electrical stimulation required to exceed the stimulationthreshold of a human cardiac heart muscle cell is about 10 to 100 timeslonger than the stimulation threshold of a motor or sensor nerve cell.Accordingly, CEWs work to apply short-duration electrical discharges inthe ranges most likely to stimulate nerve cells and less effective instimulating the heart muscle tissue.

In various implementations, referring to FIG. 9 the shock generatingcircuit 2 is configured to generate a first pulse train (first set ofpulses) and deliver the first pulse train to a target using the firstelectrode 6 and the second electrode 8. Similarly, in variousimplementations the shock generating circuit 2 may be configured togenerate a second pulse train and deliver the second pulse train to thetarget using the two electrodes 6, 8. In various implementations, thenumber of pulse trains is limited to two or three, however, in otherimplementations, the shock generating circuit may be configured togenerate and deliver any predetermined number of pulse trains. Eachpulse train includes two or more pulses. In various implementations, thetwo or more pulses have waveforms that are substantially identical,while in other implementations the two or more pulses may varyingwaveforms compared with each other. In various implementations, thewaveforms of the pulses may have both a positive voltage segment and anegative voltage segment, while in other implementations the waveformmay only include a positive voltage segment or only a negative voltagesegment. In various implementations, each waveform is non-sinusoidal.

Each pulse may include an initial arc phase. During the arc phase, ashort high voltage impulse signal is applied to the darts to create anelectrical arc (plasma discharge) through any air gaps and the tissue ofthe subject by producing a plasma between the first electrode 6 and thetarget 14 and between the second electrode 8 and the target 14. Once theplasma has been created, the resistance to subsequent current flowreduces by orders of magnitude. The main phase then immediately followsthe arc phase and is generally of a much longer time duration with alower voltage. Conventional CEWs deliver a small portion of the totalnet charge applied to the target during operation of the weapon duringthe arc phase and most of the total net charge to the target during themain phase.

Implementations of CEW systems disclosed herein utilize waveforms thatdeliver most of the total net charge during the short period arc phaseand the remainder lesser portion during the longer period main phase.Since less of the charge is actually applied during the main phase, inthis document the term “main phase” will be referred to as “stimulationmaintenance phase.” These waveforms are generated using the shockgenerating circuit. In some implementations, the shock generatingcircuit 2 may include a boost transformer and an ignition transformerthat acts as a constant current source that creates a decaying currentwaveform with a peak amperage of about 10 amperes. A series of threediodes wired in series may be, in various implementations, coupled tothe boost transformer and the ignition transformer and form a half waverectifier. In various implementations, these diodes are coupled to thetwo electrodes, whether internal electrodes or electrodes exposed on theoutside of the weapon. In various implementations, the CEW system may bethe same as or similar to that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/632,958 to Steven Abboud, entitled “Safety Guard for ConductiveEnergy Weapon Ammunition and Related Methods,” filed Feb. 26, 2015, thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.Likewise, the CEW system may use ammunition that is the same as orsimilar to that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/288,249to Abboud et al., entitled “Conductive Energy Weapon Ammunition,” filedMay 27, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,739,578, issued Aug. 22, 2017, thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.Finally, the CEW system may be the same as or similar to any systemdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,554,786 to Kramer which was previouslyincorporated herein by reference.

The difference in the pulse waveforms between conventional CEW systemsand those disclosed herein is illustrated by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.FIG. 1 is a chart illustrating the amplitude (in volts) of a waveform ofa single pulse of a conventional CEW measured at the outside electrodesof the CEW on a non-inductive 600 Ohm resistor. Time is measured inmicroseconds. FIG. 2 is a similar chart illustrating the amplitude of awaveform of a single pulse of a CEW as disclosed herein measured at theoutside electrodes of the CEW on a non-inductive 600 Ohm resistor. Bothpulses last about 100 microseconds, though in other implementations thepulses may be longer or shorter than 100 microseconds. As can beobserved in FIG. 1, the waveform representing the amplitude of thesignal corresponding to the conventional CEW spikes initially, and thenrises back up to a maximum value around 27 microseconds. In contrast, inFIG. 2, the waveform representing the amplitude of the signalcorresponding to the present CEW spikes rapidly to a maximum value ofabout 6000 V around 3 microseconds. In other implementations, thewaveform may reach a peak amplitude in more or less than 3 microseconds.In particular implementations, the waveform reaches a peak amplitude inless than 10 microseconds, and in more particular implementations, thewaveform reaches a peak amplitude in less than 5 microseconds. Thehighest amplitude value in FIG. 2 is approximately 4 times greater thanthe highest amplitude value in FIG. 1. As indicated by FIG. 2, thewaveform of the pulse also includes a positive voltage segment between 0microseconds and approximately 13 microseconds and a negative voltagesegment between approximately 13 microseconds and 100 microseconds. Invarious implementations, and as illustrated by FIG. 2, the positivevoltage segment of the waveform of the pulse may precede the negativevoltage segment of the waveform of the pulse. This is contrary to thebehavior of pulses found in conventional systems, as is illustrated byFIG. 1, which have a negative voltage segment precede the positivevoltage segment. In various implementations, the duration of thepositive voltage segment of the waveform may be shorter, longer, or thesame duration of the negative voltage segment of the waveform. Inparticular implementations, and as illustrated by FIG. 2, the positivevoltage segment only lasts about 13 microseconds while the negativevoltage segment lasts about 80-90 microseconds.

The effect of the difference in waveforms (as illustrated by FIG. 1 andFIG. 2) on the total charge can be best observed by referring to FIG. 3,which is a chart illustrating current versus time (in microseconds) of apulse of a conventional CEW, and FIG. 4, which is a similar chartillustrating current versus time of a pulse of a CEW disclosed herein.As can be observed, the initial arc phase from 0 to 5 milliseconds inFIG. 3 carries about 8 microCoulombs of charge. It is then followed bythe main phase which includes the majority of the electrical charge ofabout 80 microCoulombs. In contrast, the initial arc phase in FIG. 4includes about 40 microCoulombs of charge followed by a much lowercurrent and longer duration main phase containing about 20 microCoulombsof charge. Thus, in various implementations, the portion of the pulsecorresponding to the positive voltage segment of the waveform of thepulse may include more charge than the portion of the pulsecorresponding to the negative voltage segment of the waveform of thepulse. Indeed, in particular implementations, as illustrated by FIG. 4,the portion of the pulse corresponding to the positive voltage segmentof the waveform of the pulse may include substantially twice as muchcharge as the portion of the pulse corresponding to the negative voltagesegment of the waveform of the pulse, though in other implementationsthe negative voltage segment may include more or less charge than this.In various implementations, and as illustrated by FIG. 4, the majorityof the charge of the pulse is delivered within the first 15 microsecondsof each pulse, or within at least the first 20% of the length of theduration of each pulse. In other implementations, the charge may bedelivered at a faster or slower rate. As the graphs indicate, the meantotal charge of the waveform in FIG. 3 is about 79 microCoulombs whilethe mean total charge of the waveform in FIG. 4 is about 60microCoulombs. This means that CEW systems like those disclosed hereinmay use about 25% less total charge than conventional CEW systems likethose with waveforms disclosed in FIG. 3.

As can be observed, CEW weapon implementations like those disclosedherein may be regarded as combining the arc phase and stimulation phaseinto the single initial pulse while adding a long segment to the pulsewith a smaller electrical charge which is referred to herein as astimulation maintenance pulse/segment. Additional comparison data of thebehavior of the pulses between the conventional CEW weapon and thosedisclosed herein may be found in FIGS. 5-8. In FIG. 5, a graphrepresenting the negative current charge of a pulse of a conventionalCEW weapon is illustrated. In FIG. 6, a graph representing the positivecurrent charge of a pulse of a CEW weapon system like those disclosedhere in is illustrated. In FIG. 7, a graph representing the positivecurrent mean charge of a pulse of a conventional CEW weapon isillustrated. In FIG. 8, a graph of the negative mean charge of a pulseof a CEW weapon like those disclosed herein is illustrated, showing thelow charge long duration negative voltage segment.

Because CEW weapon systems like those disclosed herein apply themajority of the charge in an initial short period of time, followed by along, low current period of time (time duration), they may bettermitigate the risk of causing harm to cardiac muscle tissue as comparedto conventional CEW weapon systems. This is because the shorter durationof the application of the largest portion of the energy is less likelyto come at a time where it may interfere with the operation of cardiacmuscle. Further, by varying the magnitude of the current in themaintenance phase, or the long duration low current phase, the degree ofeffect on the target can be tuned, or the tuning can be performed tospecific characteristics of the target (body weight, gender, desiredcardiac safety factors, etc.).

The R-on-T phenomenon is an event that predisposes to dangerousarrhythmias. This phenomena is “a cardiac event in which a ventricularstimulus causes premature depolarization of cells that have notcompletely repolarized. It is noted on the electrocardiogram as aventricular depolarization falling somewhere within a T wave.” Mosby'sMedical Dictionary, 9th Ed, Elsevier (2009). Although it is widelyquoted in the literature relating to pacemakers, there appears to be asignificant lack of scientific recognition that external electricalstimuli to the heart like those that occur during the discharge of a CEWmay create similar predisposition to dangerous arrhythmias that are wellunderstood/comparable to the situation where a pacemaker malfunctions.

This vulnerable period for the heart is in the middle of the T wave,when some of the myocardium is depolarized, some myocardium cells arerepolarized, and some are in between. If an impulse occurs during thisprecise period, an erratic movement/re-entry circuit may theoreticallybe easily created.

An analogy where a stream of cars is serially being filled with gasolineby an attendant who regularly flicks his lighter indicates that theperiod of greatest danger is if the attendant flicks the lighter while acar is actually being fueled. While there is risk the entire time theattendant flicks the lighter around a gasoline pump, the point ofgreatest exposure is when the fuel tank of each car is open toatmosphere during fueling and vapor is entering the air.

This analogy indicates that with electroshock weapons, it is possiblethat a significant factor in the safety of the weapon is whether thedelivered shock impulses were delivered to the target during thevulnerable period in the middle of a T wave, for example. Historically,when evaluating the safety of electroshock weapons the scientificresearch focuses on four main factors: 1). The magnitude of theelectrical current delivered to the body, 2) The time duration of eachelectrical impulse delivered, 3) The time duration between eachelectrical impulse delivered, and 4) The number of impulses delivered intotal during a single encounter. Control of these factors has a meritand contributes to the safety of the electroshock weapons.

However, the additional factor, the possibility of the weapon'sdischarging during the heart's vulnerable period is actually not underthe weapon's control and with conventional systems may occur entirely asa matter of chance. If the application of the electroshock weaponsdischarge is not in any way synchronized to the subject's heart cycle,the probability for the R-on-T phenomenon to occur may increasesignificantly.

The problem may be represented schematically as follows: Consider twopulse waves of periods T1, T2, pulse widths t1, t2, and phases cp1, cp2,It is desired that these pulses overlap at least once within a giventime interval; moreover, an overlap is not satisfactory unless itsduration is at least as great as some assigned Tm. The starting phase'scp1 and cp2 are unknown for both waves. The mathematical problem, then,would be to calculate as a function of time the probability of at leastone overlap of duration at least Tm.

It is possible to obtain mathematically exact values of the parametersof the problem, but obtaining practically exact values of the parametersis difficult. Although experimental error can sometimes be madeamazingly small, it can never be eliminated. As might be expected fromthe possibility that the waves may “lock instep”, the probability isextremely erratic with respect to very minute changes in the periods T1,T2. For example, let T1=T2=100t1=100t2 (Tm=0); a simple directcalculation then shows that, for all times greater than T1=T2, thedesired probability is 0.03. Now if we let T1=T2+E, one wave-will “creepup” on the other, and eventually (for times greater than T1*T2/E) theprobability is unity. Because of this, it may very well happen in apractical application that the parameters are known to an accuracyessentially sufficient only to give the obvious result; 0<P=<1.

Because of the difficulty of calculating and aligning the pulse waves,one of the target's heart and the other of the weapon, the way to reducethe likelihood of inducing cardiac arrhythmia would be to apply eachmaximum energy pulse for as short a duration as is effective. Because ofthis, it is possible that in conventional CEW weapon devices, increasingthe duration of the high energy pulses may increase the cardiac risk tothe target. Since the high net charge pulses disclosed herein areshorter in time than the high net charge pulses of conventional CEWweapons, they may, as a practical matter, act to reduce the cardiac riskto the target, particularly where the rate of application of the pulsesbetween the conventional CEW system and the CEW systems disclosed hereinare the same.

In various implementations, referring to FIG. 9, the CEW system mayinclude a safety circuit 16 operatively coupled to the shock generatingcircuit 2. The safety circuit 16 may be configured to prevent the CEWfrom applying pulse trains to the target 14 after delivering apredetermined number of pulses or pulse trains. In particularimplementations, the safety circuit 16 may be configured to prevent theCEW from applying any more than three pulse trains in response topull(s) of the trigger of the weapon within a given period of time afterthe initial activation of the weapon. In more particularimplementations, the system may limit maximum charge delivered to threeconsecutive 5 second trains of approximately 100 pulses for safetyreasons. In other implementations, the trains may be longer or shorterthan 5 seconds each and may contain more or less than 100 pulses each.This may be done via logic circuit(s) in the CEW weapon that counts thenumber of pulse trains and deactivates the weapon after the third train(or any other predetermined number of trains), requiring the user tomanually rearm the weapon (or wait a period of time, 2-5 or more minutesbefore the weapon can be used to apply pulse trains to the target. Suchlogic circuits may be timing circuits. They may be the same as orsimilar to the timing circuit disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,048 toKaufman et. al., entitled “Stun Gun With Low Battery Indicator andShutoff Timer,” issued Mar. 9, 1993, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated entirely herein by reference. This may also be done throughuse of a circuit that monitors the number of trains and thenautomatically enforces a fixed-time pause between the time of the lasttrain and the time of the next train that the user can apply throughpulling the trigger of the weapon.

Other options, including component temperature monitoring circuits,could be used in various implementations to track/monitor the number ofpulse trains delivered to ensure that the target does not receive morethan a specified amount of current in a given period of time. Inimplementations including component temperature monitoring circuits, thecircuit may include a thermistor and a silicon controlled rectifier(SCR). As the thermistor receives heat energy from use of the CEW, theresistance of the thermistor decreases and a biasing voltage applied tothe thermistor passes through the thermistor and begins to appear on thegate of the SCR. Once the biasing voltage rises to a predeterminedlevel, the silicon controlled rectifier fires and pulls down or“grounds” the generator's power source, thereby preventing any furtherapplication of power to the shock generator circuit components until thebiasing voltage on the gate of the silicon controlled rectifier reducessufficiently for it to reset.

In various system implementations, referring to FIG. 9, the CEW mayinclude a target heart rate detection circuit 18 coupled with the shockgenerating circuit 2. The target heart rate detection circuit 18 isconfigured to detect a target's heart rate. In various implementationsthe target heart rate detection circuit 18 detects the heart rate bydetecting the heart muscle's electrophysiologic activity. The targetheart rate detection circuit 18 may be similar to or the same as heartrate detection circuits used in electrocardiograms (ECGs) or inautomated external defibrillators (AEDs). To further illustrate this,the target heart rate detection circuit and components thereof may bethe same as or similar to the heart rate detection circuit andcomponents disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,265 to Morgan et. al.entitled “Interactive Portable Defibrillator Including ECG DetectionCircuit,” issued Oct. 28, 1986, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated entirely herein by reference. Other heart rate detectioncircuits may be used in various implementations.

In various implementations, the target heart rate detection circuit 18may be able to detect the target's heart rate when the first electrode 6and the second electrode 8 are coupled to the target's clothing and arenot in direct physical contact with the target's skin. In otherimplementations, the first electrode 6 and the second electrode 8 needto be physically/electrically coupled to the target's skin before theECG will work. The circuit 18 may detect the heart rate of the target 18either before the shock generating circuit 2 delivers an initial pulseor while the shock generating circuit is applying any pulses (i.e.during a pulse train). In various implementations, the system mayinitially detect one or more heart pulses and then using an algorithm,electrically synchronize the timing of application of the pulses by theshock generating circuit 2 with the target's heart rate to minimize therisk of applying a pulse during the heart's vulnerable period. Thisalgorithm could be, by non-limiting example, a statistical regressionbased on collected heart rate data, a mathematically derived pulse wavematching calculation using the known and/or currently observedcharacteristics of the weapon, and any other method of calculating atime spacing between the observed heart pulse and a desired time toapply the electrical pulse to the target 14 to minimize the cardiacrisk. The statistical calculations for the collected heart rate data mayinclude, by non-limiting example, an average heart rate, a median heartrate, a moving average heart rate, control charted heart rate data, andany combination thereof.

In various implementations, an implementation of a method of shocking atarget may include generating a plurality of pulses using a shockgenerating circuit 2 and applying the plurality of pulses to the target14 using a first electrode 6 and a second electrode 8. The method mayinclude deactivating the CEW after a predetermined number ofpulses/pulse trains. The method may include detecting the target's heartrate, through a heart rate detection circuit, either before theplurality of pulses are applied to the target 14 or during the pluralityof pulses being applied to the target 14. The method may includeelectrically synchronizing, through the target heart rate detectioncircuit 18 and the shock generating circuit 2, an application rate ofthe plurality of pulses with the target's heart rate.

In places where the description above refers to particularimplementations of CEW systems and implementing components,sub-components, methods and sub-methods, it should be readily apparentthat a number of modifications may be made without departing from thespirit thereof and that these implementations, implementing components,sub-components, methods and sub-methods may be applied to other CEWsystems.

What is claimed is:
 1. A conductive energy weapon (CEW) comprising: ashock generating circuit configured to couple to a power source; and afirst electrode and a second electrode operatively coupled to the shockgenerating circuit; wherein the shock generating circuit is configuredto generate a first pulse train and deliver the first pulse train to atarget using the first electrode and the second electrode; wherein theshock generating circuit is configured to generate at least a secondpulse train and deliver the at least second pulse train to the targetusing the first electrode and the second electrode; wherein the firstpulse train comprises two or more pulses having waveforms substantiallyidentical with each other, each of the waveforms of the two or morepulses having both a positive voltage segment and a negative voltagesegment wherein each pulse delivers substantially 60 microCoulombs ofcharge.
 2. The CEW of claim 1, wherein each of the waveforms reaches apeak amplitude in less than 10 microseconds from the beginning of eachof the waveforms.
 3. The CEW of claim 1, wherein each of the waveformsreaches a peak amplitude in less than 5 microseconds from the beginningof each of the waveforms.
 4. The CEW of claim 1, wherein a duration ofthe positive voltage segment of each of the waveforms is substantiallyless than a duration of the negative voltage segment of each of thewaveforms.
 5. The CEW of claim 1, wherein each pulse of the plurality ofpulses delivers a majority of its charge within the first 20% of anentire duration of each pulse of the plurality of pulses.
 6. Aconductive energy weapon (CEW) comprising: a shock generating circuitconfigured to couple to a power source; and a first electrode and asecond electrode operatively coupled to the shock generating circuit;wherein the shock generating circuit is configured to generate awaveform of a first pulse applied to a target using the first electrodeand the second electrode, the waveform comprising a positive voltagesegment followed by a negative voltage segment; wherein the shockgenerating circuit is configured to generate a waveform of a secondpulse applied to the target using the first electrode and the secondelectrode, the waveform of the second pulse substantially the same asthe waveform of the first pulse; wherein each pulse delivers between 55and 74 microCoulombs of charge.
 7. The CEW of claim 6, wherein the CEWis a non-sinusoidal waveform weapon.
 8. The CEW of claim 6, wherein eachpulse delivers a majority of its charge within the first 20% of anentire duration of each pulse.
 9. The CEW of claim 6, wherein each ofthe waveforms reaches a peak amplitude in less than 10 microseconds fromthe beginning of each of the waveforms.
 10. The CEW of claim 6, whereineach of the waveforms reaches a peak amplitude in less than 5microseconds from the beginning of each of the waveforms.
 11. The CEW ofclaim 6, wherein a duration of the positive voltage segment of each ofthe waveforms is substantially less than a duration of the negativevoltage segment of each of the waveforms.